Hard Wire Dash Cam

Chardsy

Chardsy

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Hi All,

I just bought a dash cam for my new S3 and am looking to hard wire this into the car so I don't have wires resting across the dash.

I have already ordered a hard wire adapter to step the voltage down from 12v to 5v but am wondering which is the best switched feed to use off the fusebox for this?

Has anyone done anything similar with their A3/S3 and if so can you help?

Thanks
Chardsy
 
I have one in waiting, so I'd be interested as well please
 
Yeah I am waiting for mine too. Apparently it was on its way to the port at the end of the first week of Sept so hopefully not long now. Just getting all the extra bits together before it arrives so there is no delay in fitting the dash cam. :)
 
Do a search for cemerson's install thread.

Lots of photos, plus how to select a switched fuse to piggy back onto.
 
Chardsy said:
Hi All,

I just bought a dash cam for my new S3 and am looking to hard wire this into the car so I don't have wires resting across the dash.

I have already ordered a hard wire adapter to step the voltage down from 12v to 5v but am wondering which is the best switched feed to use off the fusebox for this?

Has anyone done anything similar with their A3/S3 and if so can you help?

Thanks
Chardsy
Click to expand...

What have you brought?
 
audi upgrades
The Challinor said:
What have you brought?
Click to expand...
I ordered the Transcend DrivePro 200. It has Wifi so I can connect that the hotspot in the car hopefully to download any data over the 4g sim. It also has a live view option which is pretty cool, 160 degree lens and an emergency button you can press if you spot someone "being silly" :)
 
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Are they're any companies that fit the dash cams? Is the console going to rattle with all the wiring etc?
 
Shouldn't rattle if you wrap the cable in felt electrical tape as I did this on my previous Audi's and there was no noise at all.
 
audi upgrades
Chardsy said:
Shouldn't rattle if you wrap the cable in felt electrical tape as I did this on my previous Audi's and there was no noise at all.
Click to expand...
Am I right when I say you simply hide the cables and not take the dash off?
 
Nawaid said:
Am I right when I say you simply hide the cables and not take the dash off?
Click to expand...
Yes the cable just hides behind the dash so no need to remove anything other than the fuse box cover and side panel.
 
Chardsy said:
I ordered the Transcend DrivePro 200. It has Wifi so I can connect that the hotspot in the car hopefully to download any data over the 4g sim. It also has a live view option which is pretty cool, 160 degree lens and an emergency button you can press if you spot someone "being silly" :)
Click to expand...

Just had a quid look, looks like a good little product. The wifi is used to connect to your smartphone ( the camera creates it's own Ad Hoc network ) so you won't connect to it Audi Connect.

When you get car / fitting it then?
 
audi upgrades
The Challinor said:
Just had a quid look, looks like a good little product. The wifi is used to connect to your smartphone ( the camera creates it's own Ad Hoc network ) so you won't connect to it Audi Connect.

When you get car / fitting it then?
Click to expand...
Strange you say that about the Wifi as I have just being having a more detailed play with the camera and found that out. Image quality is excellent though when you copy the files to the PC / Phone.

Yeah as soon as it arrives it will be fitted. The dealer thinks should be the last week of Sept if not sooner but it can't come sooner as I have been waiting for months! For the camera I am hoping I can use the feed for the rear wiper as the saloon doesn't have one.
 
Has it got a rear camera as well then? It's normal to fit them to the front if you only have one.
 
Yeh, but doesn't make sense to take the power from the rear wiper if the camera is at the front! You can hook into anything in the fuse box...
 
It probably is, but it's no harder to hook into anything else really. If you use the power magic pro, the only thing you can use for the switched supply is the cigarette lighter anyway.
 
Why bother hard wiring with all the hassle. I have a Drive Pro 200. I fed the wire inside the headlining, down the door rubber, underneath the glove box and into a USB adaptor in the lighter socket. Only 3 inches of wiring showing. All I bought was a 3 metre UCB lead.
 
Sounds like you've done most of it anyway. What 'hassle' is there in hard wiring?
 
The Challinor said:
Think he meant the "wiring part" opposed to plugging it in.

I think I'm going get the same cam but would rather power from glovebox instead of having lead on show into cigarette lighter.
Click to expand...
That's what I'm saying... most of the work installing mine was routing the cables, the hard-wiring was very easy. Why go to all that effort and not bother with the last bit for neatness (and ability to use the socket for something else)?
 
cemerson said:
That's what I'm saying... most of the work installing mine was routing the cables, the hard-wiring was very easy. Why go to all that effort and not bother with the last bit for neatness (and ability to use the socket for something else)?
Click to expand...

You just would, I've now ordered the same can and intend on powering it in the glovebox and not the cigarette socket
 
The Challinor said:
You just would, I've now ordered the same can and intend on powering it in the glovebox and not the cigarette socket
Click to expand...

Would love to see some photos of where people are mounting that transcend cam in a A3 windscreen; get ideas for best place and mount. Looks like quite a big unit, but otherwise I'm kinda sold on it.
 
pauly69 said:
Would love to see some photos of where people are mounting that transcend cam in a A3 windscreen; get ideas for best place and mount. Looks like quite a big unit, but otherwise I'm kinda sold on it.
Click to expand...

+1 for that, seen loads of reviews but at the end of the day you want to see what it looks like fitted!
 
pauly69 said:
Would love to see some photos of where people are mounting that transcend cam in a A3 windscreen; get ideas for best place and mount. Looks like quite a big unit, but otherwise I'm kinda sold on it.
Click to expand...

Doesn't seem too big compared to others, just square opposed to a tube.

Hoping to place behind the mirror as much as possible.

Will do a thread when I get it installed, not got the car yet but will get cam installed sooner rather then later.
 
Pesky short edit time ;)

Definitely used to be longer on the previous forum !
 
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Cabling front => back was fine, all covered in my thread if you want to do it. It took a little bit of time but worth it to keep it all hidden away. It's very neat when it's done, you don't see any cables really.

I've still got to redo my front mirror part... I accidentally put the hole on the wrong side of the piece of trim. I have got a new bit of trim to redo it, just haven't got around to it yet! Should only take 15 mins or so when I get around to it though.
 
As previously reported I have just bought a Transcend DrivePro 200 also and used it for the first time today. I bought the Transcend suction mount as I didn't fancy using the stick on version. I took the power lead (temporarily) behind the sunshade, down the windscreen edge into the glove box and into the 12v socket. This was just to see what it was like before I committed to more permanent wiring. Contrary to people with Blackvues (I think that's the model) there is no interference on the radio in either DAB or FM and whilst I haven't downloaded the files yet I'm impressed. I switched off the G-sensor (or was the G-Spot!) as received wisdom is that it switches itself too often what with the state of our roads. The emergency button is sufficient as a press on that and the DrivePro records data 10 seconds before and 50 seconds after an event occurs (total 1 minute). The DrivePro can save up to 15 emergency video files and these files are protected from being overwritten.

I have also switched off the sound recording as I don't want a record of me cursing the stupid driving of my fellow motorists!!

I've set the recording duration to 3 minutes for no other reason that it was in the middle of the 3 options 1, 3 and 5 minutes. Has anyone any opinions as to which is best and why?

So, it gets my vote but I'd like to neaten up the wiring and get rid of the chrome lens surround. Perhaps a Matt black wrap would make it less noticeable? Any ideas where to buy?
 
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